Credited for inspiring such groups as The Ramones [ tickets ], Blondie [ tickets ], Sex Pistols, and Talking Heads [ tickets ], original glam-rockers New York Dolls [ tickets ] are on a mission to be a part of the musical zeitgeist of the 21st century.

Although their comeback has had serious setbacks,--most profoundly, the loss of the band's beloved bass player Arthur "Killer" Kane, who died of leukemia shortly after two sold out reunion concerts in 2005--the group has proven quite capable of carrying on through adversity. Right from the beginning the Dolls have faced challenges. In 1975, merely four years after they started, co-founders Johnny Thunders and Jerry Nolan left the group. To this point Johansen told press recently, "It won't be very long [before the band's current lineup has been] together longer than the original band was…."

The New York Dolls will be playing a few shows in support of their latest release, "Live at the Fillmore East," next week in Ventura, CA (10/29), then Los Angeles (12/20) and New York (12/27). Fans can also catch the band performing live on NBC's "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson," airing on Oct. 28.

Yours truly caught them in action at SXSW in 2005 and took photos of their performance.